Monday, December 19, 2011

Gnocci, Sausage and Spinach Soup




We started calling this 'shut up soup', because we took one bite and said "Oh shut up!, that is so good!". 
I am a soupateer, a soup savant, a master of the broth!....(you could say, I love soup :) and this soup is a 5 spoon award winner.   It is flawless, it has a deep flavor and isn't to heavy.  Very simple to make with not too many ingredients.  Soup perfection....ahhh.

I based it on a recipe I saw on Pinterest.com (my new addiction, right after soup :).   Here is a link:  Cinnomonspiceandeverythingnice.com  The only change I made is I added a bit of tomato paste because I love the flavor of tomato and cream and wanted to intensify that. I would also double the batch. Serves about 6 the wasy it is and it's even better the next day so double up!  Serve with Spedini Bread!

If  you are not a big gnocchi fan, I am sure you could substitute a thick pasta like rotini or penne and it would be very good!

Ingredients

1 yellow onion, diced
1 roasted red pepper, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
 salt and fresh black pepper to taste
1 pound Italian chicken sausage (bulk or removed from casings)
4 cloves, garlic, minced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried basil
32 ounces low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound gnocchi
2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves, rough chopped
3/4 cup half & half or heavy cream  (I used half and haf and got a great result)
 Parmesan cheese, fresh grated

 In a dutch oven or soup pot,  saute onion and red pepper in olive oil over medium-low heat until tender. Season well with salt and pepper. In a separate, large skillet brown the sausage, breaking it apart as it cooks. Add garlic and tomato paste to onion mixture and saute until fragrant.
  Drain sausage and add to onion mixture along with the basil and chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper, simmer for 20 minutes.
  Add gnocchi and spinach, bring to a simmer and cook until gnocchi puff up and start to float, about 10 minutes. 
Add half & half and fresh basil, bring to a simmer for three or four minutes. Serve with Parmesan cheese and Spedini Bread.  Yumbo!

4 comments:

  1. Thanks for making my soup and giving it such a rave review! My family lusts after this soup - every time they see me with gnocchi they want to know if I'm making it.

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  2. This is fabulous!! I can't repeat the comment my daughter made on this site, but she loved it. I also made the Spendini. Love it!

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  3. OK, this sounds AMAZING! I think I'll need to make this next week!! Thanks Cath!

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  4. Gnoccis have been a staple at my mom and dads house for years! Dad made homemade Gnoccis for years! His Red sauce is the bomb. He found Gnocci's in the cold area at the store and said they were just as good. (I don't think so) He is a great sauce maker I have turned him onto your site! Thank you Kathi!

    My tummy growls everytime I see a recipe!

    Holly Bowden

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